Carrier oils such as olive oil are cold-pressed from the oily parts of the plants, including seeds, kernels, and fruits, whereas essential oils are extracted from the aromatic parts of the plants such as flowers and leaves which are not quite oily. In reality, extracting essential oils from plants is not so efficient, and the essential oil yields are, on average, 1%.

 

But why is this important? Well, the essential oil yield is a highly commercial topic. By knowing these yields, aromatic oil traders can estimate their revenues and profits. But for us, aromatherapy enthusiasts, it shows only one thing: the labor and love put into the whole work of extracting these magical compounds out of plants!

 

Let’s take Damask Rose, Rosa x Damascena as an example. This is a hybrid rose harvested for its famous rose otto or rose absolute oils, and as the name suggests, it originates from Damascus, Syria. The essential oil yield of this particular flower is 0.025%. In other words, on average, out of 10 kgs of rose petals, you can get 2,5 ml oil. That’s why this is a pricey oil, and you can get a 10ml of rose otto for about 150-200 USD!

 

Whether you are an aromatherapist or a consumer, by looking at the table below, you will realize how much work put into this and respect your essential oils when using them. These are incredibly volatile and valuable products, and they can go rancid rather quickly. So please pay extra attention when buying, using, and storing your essential oils.

 

Essential Oil Yields Table

 

SD= STEAM DISTILLATION
SW= STEAM and WATER DISTILLATION
SE= SOLVENT EXTRACTION
WD= WATER DISTILLATION
CE= COLD EXPRESSION

 

AROMATIC PLANT BOTANICAL NAME SOURCE MODE % YIELD
ALLSPICE PIMENTA DIOCA GROUND SEEDS SD 4,5
ANGELICA ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA RHIZOME SD 0.3 – 1.0
ANGELICA ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA SEED SD 0.6 – 1.5
ANISE PIMPINELLA ANISUM SEED SD 1.5 – 4.0
ARNICA ARNICA MONTANA FLOWERS SD 1,0
ARNICA ARNICA MONTANA ROOT SD 1,0
BASIL, SWEET OCIMUM BASILICUM LEAVES & TOPS SD 0.5 – 1.5
BAY LEAF LAURUS NOBILIS LEAVES SD 3,0
BENZOIN STYRAX BENZOIN RESIN SE ?
BERGAMOT CITRUS BERGAMIA YOUNG FRUIT CE/SE 3.0 – 5.0
CAJEPUT OIL MELALEUCA CAJEPUTI LEAVES & TWIGS SD ?
CALAMINT CALAMINTHA OFFICINALIS FLOWERING TOPS SD 0,5
CALAMUS ROOT ACORUS CALAMUS RHIZOME SD 1,5
CAMPHOR TREE CINNAMOMUM CAMPHORA LEAVES & TWIGS SD 2,0
CARAWAY CARUM CARVI SEEDS & FRUIT SD 3.2 – 7.4
CARDAMOM ELETTARIA CARDAMOMUM SEEDS SD 8
CARROT, WILD DAUCUS CARROTA SEEDS SD 0.1 – 7.1
CASCARILLA CROTON ELEUTERIA BARK SD 3,0
CASSIA BARK CINNAMOMUM CASSIA LEAVES & BARK SD 1,5
CASSIE ACACIA FARNESIANA FLOWERS SE 1,9
CEDARWOOD JUNIPERUS VIRGINIANA WOOD CHIPS SD 4,5
CELERY SEED APIUM GRAVEOLENS SEED SD 3,0
CHAMOMILE, GERMAN MATRICARIA RECUTITA FLOWERS SD 0.3 – 1.0
CHAMOMILE, ROMAN CHAMAEMELUM NOBILIS FLOWERS SD 0.3 – 1.0
CINNAMON CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM INNER BARK SD 0,1
CLARY SAGE SALVIA SCLARIA LEAVES & TOPS SD ?
CLOVE SYZGIUM AROMATICUM FLOWER BUDS WD 14 – 21
COFFEE COFFEA Sp. ROASTED BEANS WD 0,12
CORIANDER CORIANDRUM SATIVUM SEEDS SD 1,0
DILL ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS SEED SD/WD 2.5 – 4.0
DILL LEAF ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS YOUNG PLANTS SD/WD 0.3 – 1.5
EUCALYPTUS EUCALYPTUS Sp. ALL PARTS SD 1.0 – 7.0
FENNEL FOENICULUM VULGARE SEED SD 4.0 – 6.0
FRANKINCENSE BOSWELLIA CARTERI RESIN SD ?
GALANGAL ALPINIA Sp. RHIZOME SD/SE ?
GARLIC ALLIUM SATIVUM ROOT BULBS SD 0,1
GERANIUM PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS LEAVES SD 0.3 – 2.0
GINGER ZINGIBER Off. RHIZOME SD 3,0
HOPS HUMULUS LUPULUS STROBILES SD 1,0
HYSSOP HYSSOPUS Off. LEAVES & TOPS SD 1,0
IRIS (ORIS) IRIS PALLIDA AGED RHIZOME SD/SE 0,2
JUNIPER BERRIES JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS FERMENTED BERRIES SD 1,5
JUNIPER LEAVES JUNIPERUS Sp. NEEDLE LEAVES SD 1.0 – 2.5
LAVENDER LAVENDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA FLOWER TOPS SD 0.5 – 1.0
LEMON BALM MELISSA Off. LEAVES & TOPS SD 0.015
LEMON PEEL CITRUS LIMON FRUIT RIND CE/SD 2,0
LEMON VERBENA ALOYSIA TRIPHYLLA LEAVES & TOPS SD 1,5
LEMONGRASS CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS LEAVES SD 1,0
LIME CITRUS AURANTIFOLIA FRUIT RIND CE/SD ?
LOVAGE LEVISTICUM Off. ROOT SD 0.5 – 1.0
MACE MYRISTICA FRAGRANS ARILS SD/WD 17.0 – 25.0
MANDARIN CITRUS RETICULATA FRUIT RIND CE/SD 0,5
MARJORAM, SWEET ORIGANUM MAJORANA LEAVES SD 0,9
MUSTARD, BLACK BRASSICA NIGRA SEEDS SD/WD 1,5
NEROLI CITRUS AURANTIUM BLOSSOMS SE/SD 0,1
NUTMEG MYRISTICA FRAGRANS SEED SD 15.0 – 25.0
ORANGE PEEL CITRUS Species FRUIT RIND CE/SD 1.5 – 5.0
OREGANO ORIGANUM VULGARE FLOWERS SD 1,2
PARSLEY PETROSELENIUM SATIVUM LEAVES OR SEEDS SD 0,5
PATCHOULI POGOSTEMOM CABLIN LEAVES SD 2.0 – 4.0
PENNYROYAL MENTHA PULEGIUM LEAVES SD 1,5
PEPPER, BLACK PIPER NIGRUM PEPPERCORNS SD/SE 2,5
PEPPER, CUBEB PIPER CUBEBA FRUITS SD 2,0
PEPPER, WHITE PIPER NIGRUM POWDERED SEEDS SD 1,5
PEPPERMINT MENTHA PIPERITA LEAVES & TOPS SD 1.0 – 2.5
PETIGRAIN CITRUS AURANTIUM LEAVES & TWIGS SD 0,5
PINE SAP PINUS Species RESIN SD/WD 15.0 – 35.0
PINE NEEDLES PINUS Species NEEDLES SD 0.5 – 3.0
ROSE, DAMASK ROSA X DAMASCENA FLOWERS SD/WD
/SE		 0.02 – 0.03
ROSEMARY ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS FLOWERING TOPS SD 2,0
SAGE SALVIA OFFICINALIS LEAVES SD 2,5
SANDALWOOD SANTALUM ALBUM ROOT WOOD SD 4,5
SASSAFRAS SASSAFRAS ALBIDUM ROOT BARK SD 4,0
SAVORY, SUMMER SATUREJA HORTENSIS LEAVES & STEMS SD 0,1
SPEARMINT MENTHA SPICATA LEAVES & TOPS SD 2,0
STAR ANISE ILLICIUM VERUM SEEDS SD 3,0
STYRAX LIQUIDAMBAR ORIENTALIS CRUDE RESIN SD/SE ?
TANSY TANACETUM VULGARE LEAVES & TOPS SD 0,7
TARRAGON ARTEMISIA DRACUNCULUS LEAVES & TOPS SD 0.08 – 1.5
TEA TREE MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA LEAVES & TWIGS SD ?
THYME THYMUS VULGARIS LEAVES & TWIGS SD 2,5
TUMERIC CURCUMA LONGA ROOT POWDER SD 5,0
VALERIAN VALERIANA OFFICINALIS RHIZOME SD 1,0
VANILLA VANILLA FRAGRANS CURED PODS SE 0.5 – 3.0
VETIVER VETIVERIA ZIZANIOIDES ROOT SD 0,9
VIRGINIA SNAKEROOT ARISTOLOCHIA SERPENTARIA RHIZOME SD 1,2
WINTERGREEN GAULTHERIA PROCUMBENS LEAVES SD 0,6
WORMWOOD ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM LEAVES & TOPS SD/SE 0.5 – 2.0
YARROW ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM LEAVES & TOPS SD 0,15
YLANG YLANG CANANGA ODORATA FLOWERS SD 2,0

 

References

 

AromaWeb – Essential Oil Yields

What is the difference between essential oil content and essential oil yield in aromatic plants?

Yields of essential oils